Taking boxing fans for a ride

On May 5 this year, fight fans were treated to an exciting bout between undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. (46-0 with 26 knockouts) and knockout artist Marcos Maidana (35-4 with 31 KOs), with some fight fans believing the American had his hands full against the Argentinian challenger.

Since one scoring card had the fight even at 114-114, many fight fans believed Maidana was on the verge of beating the American.

Although Maidana can be called a “live” opponent in every sense, he never really presented any real danger to Mayweather. Compubox showed Maidana landed 221 punches—the most for a May–weather opponent—while the American landed 230. In terms of power punches, Maidana landed more at 185 against Mayweather’s 175. In terms of accuracy, however, Compubox showed Mayweather landed 54 percent of his total punches, as opposed to Maidana’s 26 percent.

A lot of fight fans will surely give credit to Maidana for landing the most punches on the American compared to any other Mayweather opponent. But the fact that Maidana only landed 26 percent of his total punches on Mayweather still speaks volumes of the American’s defensive skills that a rematch between would sound senseless. Totally senseless, in fact.

But lo and behold —I read over the Internet that a rematch between Maidana and Mayweather has been tentatively set for September 13 this year. And if number 13 sounds like bad luck to some people, it should spell bad luck for Maidana because he won’t do any better in a rematch with the unbeaten Mayweather.

So are boxing fans being taken for a ride? Ha ha ha . . .

In their first fight, Maidana simply relied on a simple strategy to beat Mayweather: pressure the American and throw as many punches with the hope that a big one, or two big ones would do damage. Well, that somehow worked to land many punches on Mayweather, but it failed to attain the objective of beating the American.

But then, some fight fans still believe that given a little bit more effort or more power punches landed, Maidana would have at least walked away with a close decision over Mayweather. And perhaps Maidana in a rematch against Mayweather can land more power punches to eventually beat the American. Well, not so fast!

While I want to see the day Mayweather will eventually get beaten in the ring, I do not see Maidana doing any better in a rematch against the unbeaten American.

In the first place, what sort of “adjustment” Maidana must do to make sure he beats Mayweather? Increase pressure and throw more punches? That could be a good formula, but we still do not know if Maidana “overstretched” himself against Mayweather. If Maidana overstretched himself in the first Mayweather fight, I doubt it if he can still increase his punch output in a rematch.

As for Mayweather, he can study all of Maidana’s offensive moves and make defensive adjustments for the rematch. And given that Mayweather landed 65 percent of his power punches on Maidana (as opposed to 34 percent for the Argentinian), just imagine the result if Mayweather formulates the best counterattack moves against Maidana.

Boxing is not always about fistic brutality, or about the stronger puncher always winning. If that was the case, the boxing Hall of Fame would not have names like Muhammad Ali, Gene Tunney, Sugar Ray Leonard, Flash Elorde or even Larry Holmes. Expect Mayweather’s name to be included in the Hall of Fame years from now, and Maidana’s not having a chance at all.

So why push for Mayweather-Maidana rematch? That’s like taking boxing fans for a ride.

2 Comments

long ago boxers choice to fight the best of their division to know whose the real king of the RING. but now boxers like MAYWEATHER is a coward, soft, and regarded as the man who don’t wanna fight the other best in its. division so now is about money, record and so many more. but the realistic people watch only ordinary match up without firepower. gayweather should be called a runner than a fighter.

its not like the good old days of boxing when there were real champions. for mayweather to claim that he is the best ever is sad. sugar I can name several champions from the past that would have ended floyd’s career a long time ago. Boxing will never be the same